Vicia faba
Broad beans are the first real harvest of the kitchen garden year — a promise that the season has truly arrived. Autumn-sown plants overwinter as sturdy, frost-hardened seedlings and crop four to six weeks earlier than spring sowings, with heavier yields and better drought resistance. Spring sowings under cover extend the choice of varieties and allow a second flush of pods into August. The flavour of freshly picked broad beans — especially young ones eaten pod-and-all when tiny — is in a completely different class from anything bought in a shop. Double-podded and eaten straight from the garden, they are one of the great pleasures of growing your own.
Broad beans fall into four distinct groups. Dwarf varieties reach only 30–45cm — ideal for exposed plots and containers, requiring no staking. Longpod varieties are the workhorses: long pods with 8–10 beans each, heavy yields, and the best autumn hardiness — Aquadulce Claudia is the classic. Windsor varieties are shorter and stockier with fewer, larger beans per pod — richer flavour but less frost hardy, best sown in spring. Coloured and heritage varieties include the crimson-flowered Crimson Flowered (one of the most ornamental vegetables you can grow), the red-seeded Red Epicure, and the pink-seeded Karmazyn — all with outstanding individual character.
The number of varieties shown for each crop is based on UK consumption data (2025/26) — the more popular the crop, the more variety choices we include.
Compact plants 30–45cm tall. No staking required. Ideal for containers, exposed plots, and windy sites.
A compact, bushy dwarf broad bean reaching about 40–45cm. Branches freely and carries plenty of short pods, each holding 4–5 beans. No staking needed. Sow Feb–Apr, or Oct–Nov under cover; ideal for containers and exposed gardens.
Very similar to Bonny Lad but slightly more compact. Reliable and uniform. Excellent for raised beds and containers where height is a concern. Good yield for its size.
Unusually long pods for a dwarf variety — up to 30cm. Plants reach 45cm. Good yield of well-filled pods with 7–8 beans each. AGM holder. Best of both worlds.
The classic tall broad bean. Long pods with 8–10 beans. Best autumn hardiness. Heavy yields. The backbone of the kitchen garden.
The definitive autumn-sowing broad bean. Exceptional frost hardiness, long pods with up to 9 beans each, and outstanding reliability. The first choice for October sowing across all UK regions. AGM holder.
Tall, vigorous plants producing very long pods — up to 38cm — with 8–9 large, bright green beans. Heavy cropper. Suitable for both autumn and spring sowing. AGM holder. Excellent for freezing.
One of the earliest-maturing broad beans — ready 12–14 weeks from spring sowing. Long, well-filled pods. Good for impatient gardeners who want the earliest possible spring harvest from an indoor sowing.
Shorter, stockier plants. Fewer but larger beans per pod. Richer, sweeter flavour. Best for eating fresh rather than freezing.
One of the finest heritage broad beans. Stocky plants with short, fat pods containing 4–5 very large beans. Rich, deep flavour — considered by many to be the best-tasting broad bean available. Spring sow only.
The standard Windsor type. Short pods, 4–5 large beans per pod. Compact plants reaching 60–75cm. Excellent fresh flavour. Best eaten young before the skins toughen. Spring sow only.
Heritage Windsor with distinctive cream-white seeds rather than the typical green. Mild, sweet flavour. Compact plants. Slightly less common than Green Windsor but worth growing for its appearance and taste.
Ornamental varieties with vivid flowers or coloured seeds. Outstanding individual character.
The most ornamental broad bean — vivid crimson flowers instead of the usual black-and-white. An 18th-century heritage variety rescued from near extinction. Shorter pods with 3–5 beans. Grows to 90cm. Flowers are edible.
Striking deep red seeds that turn brown on cooking. Sweet, rich flavour — one of the best-tasting broad beans. Plants grow to 90cm with standard longpod-style pods. The red colour fades with blanching but remains in raw preparations.
Polish heritage variety with distinctive pink-red seeds. Rich, earthy flavour. Vigorous plants reaching 120cm. Pods similar to longpod type. Rare and worth seeking out — a genuinely different broad bean with outstanding character.
Broad bean seeds are widely available from all major UK seed suppliers from late summer onwards — look for Aquadulce Claudia as the autumn sowing standard. For coloured and heritage varieties, specialist seed suppliers and heritage seed libraries are the best sources for Crimson Flowered, Karmazyn, and Red Epicure. Most garden centres stock a limited range of plug plants in spring for those who miss the sowing window.
Online specialist seed companies offer the widest variety selection including coloured-seed heritage varieties, dwarf types, and autumn-hardy longpods unavailable in garden centres. Order from August for autumn sowing.
Convenient for standard varieties such as Aquadulce Claudia and Bonny Lad. Stocks from September for autumn sowing, and from February for spring.
Broad bean seeds stay viable for 3–4 years. Local seed swaps and heritage seed libraries are excellent sources for Crimson Flowered, Karmazyn, and other rare varieties.
The standard method for both autumn and spring sowings. Prepare a deep, fertile bed. Sow seeds 5cm deep, 20–25cm apart in double rows 20cm apart, with 45cm between double rows. Autumn sowings (October to November) produce the earliest crop — plants overwinter and crop from May. Spring direct sowings (March to April) crop from late June. Support tall varieties with canes and string when plants reach 30cm.
Suitable varieties: All varieties. Longpod varieties particularly suited to autumn direct sowing. Dwarf varieties need no support.
Raised beds with deep, well-drained compost-rich soil are excellent for broad beans — the improved drainage prevents waterlogging in wet winters, which is the main cause of autumn sowing failure. Sow at the same spacing as open ground. The warmer, friable soil in raised beds also speeds spring germination. Tall varieties still need support — push canes in at each corner and run string around the row at 30cm and 60cm.
Suitable varieties: All varieties. Raised beds particularly benefit autumn sowings by improving winter drainage.
Dwarf varieties grow well in large deep containers — a minimum depth of 30cm. Use a rich, free-draining compost. Plant 3–4 seeds per large pot or 1 per 15cm container at 5cm depth. Water regularly as containers dry out faster. Dwarf varieties (Bonny Lad, Robin Hood) are self-supporting and ideal for exposed balconies and patios.
Suitable varieties: Dwarf varieties only — Bonny Lad, Robin Hood, Masterpiece Green Longpod. Avoid tall longpod varieties in small containers.
Traditionally grown alongside all beans — said to improve flavour and deter blackfly. A reliable companion in the kitchen garden.
Good rotation companions. Beans fix nitrogen that benefits the following carrot crop. The two grow well in adjacent beds without competing.
Broad beans follow brassicas well in the rotation. The nitrogen left by the bean roots benefits the following brassica crop the next year.
Use a draw hoe or trowel to create a flat-bottomed drill 5cm deep and about 8cm wide. A double-row drill works well — make two parallel drills 20cm apart. Broad beans like firm, fertile soil. Avoid freshly manured ground which promotes leafy growth at the expense of pods.
Space seeds 20–25cm apart in the drill, in a staggered double row. Each seed should sit flat. Handle seeds carefully — the white scar (hilum) can be damaged by rough treatment. Push each seed down firmly so it contacts the base of the drill.
Rake soil back over the seeds and firm with the back of the rake or your foot. The drill should be filled level with the surface. Water in well. Label clearly with variety and date. Mice can be a problem — a layer of fine mesh over the row for the first few weeks helps.
| Region | Sow / plant | Harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland & Far North | — | Jul–Aug | Not recommended |
| Northern England | Oct–Nov | Jun–Aug | Oct–Nov |
| Midlands & Wales | Oct–Nov | May–Aug | Oct–Nov |
| Ireland & Isle of Man | Oct–Nov | Jun–Aug | Oct–Nov |
| South & SE England | Oct–Nov | May–Jul | Oct–Nov |
| South Coast & SW | Oct–Nov | May–Jul | Oct–Nov |
Use 7–9cm pots filled with general-purpose or seed compost. One seed per pot. Broad beans have large seeds and develop a strong tap root — deep pots are better than modules. Fill to within 2cm of the rim and firm lightly.
Push one seed 5cm deep into the centre of each pot. The white hilum scar can face any direction. Firm the compost back around the seed. Label each pot with variety name and date — different varieties look identical as seedlings.
Place pots in a cool, bright spot at 10–15°C — a cool windowsill, unheated porch, or cold greenhouse is ideal. Broad beans do not need high heat and will germinate at lower temperatures than most vegetables. Germination takes 7–14 days.
Once shoots appear, move to a bright, cool position. Broad beans grow better in cool, bright conditions than on a warm windowsill. Grow on until 8–10cm tall, then harden off for 7–10 days before transplanting outside.
| Region | Sow / plant | Harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland & Far North | Mar–Apr | Jul–Aug | Mar–Apr |
| Northern England | Feb–Mar | Jun–Aug | Feb–Mar |
| Midlands & Wales | Feb–Mar | Jun–Jul | Feb–Mar |
| Ireland & Isle of Man | Feb–Mar | Jun–Jul | Feb–Mar |
| South & SE England | Feb–Mar | May–Jul | Feb–Mar |
| South Coast & SW | Feb–Mar | May–Jul | Feb–Mar |
Broad beans do not need high heat to germinate — they are cool-season hardy crops that prefer cool, moist conditions. Spring sowings can be started in individual pots indoors from February.
A heated propagator is not needed and is counterproductive — broad beans prefer 10–15°C, not the 20°C+ of a heated unit. A cool windowsill, unheated porch, or cold greenhouse is ideal. If you don't have any of these, a bright spot on an ordinary windowsill away from radiators works perfectly well.
An unheated propagator on a cool, bright windowsill is ideal for February and March indoor sowings — without one, individual 9cm pots on any bright windowsill give exactly the same result. Broad beans germinate in 7–14 days at cool temperatures without any additional warmth.
Tall longpod and Windsor varieties reach 90–120cm and will collapse in wind without support. Push canes in at each corner of the row and run string around the outside at 30cm and 60cm height. Do this when plants are 20–25cm tall before they begin to topple. Dwarf varieties (Bonny Lad, Robin Hood) are self-supporting and need no canes.
When the first pods begin to set, pinch out the top 8–10cm of each plant. This removes the soft growing tip where blackfly colonies congregate most heavily and diverts the plant's energy into pod development. Pinched-out tips can be eaten — they have a mild beany flavour and are excellent wilted in butter.
Broad beans need consistent moisture when pods are swelling. Water deeply once a week in dry weather. Autumn-sown plants rarely need watering until spring. Spring sowings in containers need more attention — check daily in warm weather and never let the compost dry out completely while pods are forming.
Blackfly (black bean aphid) colonies appear on growing tips and the undersides of leaves from May onwards. Pinching out tips removes the main infestation point. For established colonies, a strong jet of water removes most aphids. Encourage natural predators — ladybirds, lacewings, and hoverflies all feed on blackfly.
Blackfly colonies congregate on growing tips from May onwards. Pinch out the top 8–10cm of each plant when the first pods set — this removes the main colonies instantly and diverts energy into pod development. Chocolate spot (brown blotches on leaves and stems) is a fungal disease encouraged by overcrowding and wet conditions — space plants adequately and improve air circulation.
Full identification and treatment advice is in the Pests and Diseases sections.
Freshly harvested broad beans keep best left in their pods. Store unwashed in the fridge for up to 5 days. The pods protect the beans and slow moisture loss. Shell only when ready to cook — shelled beans deteriorate faster.
Shelled beans keep for 2–3 days in the fridge in a covered bowl or bag. For the very best flavour, double-pod them — slip the grey outer skin off each bean to reveal the vivid green interior. Double-podded beans are far sweeter and more tender, and worth the extra few minutes.
Broad beans freeze exceptionally well. Shell, blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, cool immediately in cold water, then open-freeze on a tray before bagging. Frozen broad beans retain excellent flavour and texture for up to 12 months. Double-pod after defrosting for the best result.
Pinch out the growing tips when the first pods begin to set — this removes the soft tip where blackfly colonies congregate and diverts energy into pod development. The pinched tips are edible and delicious wilted in butter.
Autumn-sown broad beans are significantly more productive than spring sowings — if your soil drains well, always sow in October or November. The overwintered plants develop a deeper root system and crop 4–6 weeks earlier with heavier yields.
Harvest pods young — when the beans inside are visible as bumps but before the scar on each bean turns dark. Young beans are sweeter and more tender than mature ones. Once the scar blackens, the bean becomes floury and loses its fresh flavour.
Double-podding — slipping the grey outer skin off each shelled bean — transforms the flavour and texture. Ten minutes of work that makes a very significant difference to the eating quality, revealing the vivid green interior.
Leave the roots in the ground after harvest. The nitrogen-fixing root nodules break down slowly and release nitrogen that benefits the following brassica crop in the rotation.